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<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Iran state media alarmed at English text on clothes<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-36794262">http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-36794262</a></span><span lang="KZ" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A recent trend among Iranians to wear clothing emblazoned with English-language writing has prompted alarm in
 the official media.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">A report on state-run
<a href="http://www.tv2.ir/"><span style="color:blue">Channel Two</span></a> highlighted what it called a fashion to put "obscene", "Satanist" and "anti-religious" messages on men's T-shirts and women's tops.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Set to ominous music of the sort usually reserved for exposes of serious wrongdoing, the report features people
 sporting phrases such as "love", "not normal" and "no rules" on their outfits. One shot shows a person with their face blurred wearing a top with the words "Friday Night".<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Of particular concern seems to be a women's range with the humorous slogan "Keep calm I'm Queen". It's apparently
 inspired by the popular British <a href="https://history.blog.gov.uk/2014/06/27/keep-calm-and-carry-on-the-compromise-behind-the-slogan/">
<span style="color:blue">"Keep calm and carry on"</span></a> image, but the TV channel has a different take, telling viewers that "queen" is a US slang term to describe "men who look like women".<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Sellers appear taken aback by the media interest. One clothes shop owner tells the TV that there is strong demand
 for such products, but also blames their availability on an "import mafia". Other shopkeepers on a similar
<a href="http://www.farsnews.com/MediaDisplay.aspx?nn=13950422001260"><span style="color:blue">report by the Fars news agency</span></a> - apparently unaware of being filmed - are heard complaining about "conservatives" making a fuss about a "minor issue".<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The public's views appear to be mixed. One comment on the Fars website quotes Koranic verses on the need for
 hijab - the headscarf worn to comply with the Islamic Republic's <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-35988134">
<span style="color:blue">clothing laws</span></a> - but another responds: "If it were up to you [conservatives], we'd all wear black."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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